Type-writing machine.



J. C. MQLAUGHLIN.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED 11.3, 1912.

Patented June 3, 1913' WITH asses:

. WITED arena Faro.

JOHN C. MOLAUGHLIN, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, .ASSIGNOR T0 UNDERWOODTYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented June 3, 1913.

Application filed April 8, 1912'. Serial No. 688,331,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J oiIN C. MCLAUGH- LIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new and improved'paper depth gage for atypewriter.

In a typewriting operation, it is often desirable to end the typewritingat a given distance from the bottom of the sheet, in order to leave-anadequate bottom margin. However, inasmuch as the bottom edge of the worksheet or paper being written upon is generally concealedbetween thepaper shelf and the platen, it is often diflicult to estimate with anydegree of certainty the proximity of the latest .written line to thebottom of the page. The typist is, therefore, often at a loss to telloff hand when a desired limit of writing on a-particular sheet has beenreached, and may come short of, or over-run this limit one or morelines.

It is the purpose of this invention to en able the typist to tell'at aglance how close I the end of the sheet is approached and also to enablethe typist to set a predetermined limit of proximity of the last line oftypewriting to the end of the sheet. To accomplish this purpose, thereis provided a gage with a stop which indicates that the desired limit ofwriting on a particular sheet has been reached, when the top edge of thesheet comes into contact with the stop. The stop is adjustable tovarious elevations, so as to vary the nearness of approach to the bottomedge for a certain slice of sheet, and also to accommodate sheets ofdifferent sizes. The determination is a differential one, that is tosay, the limit of desired printing is measured by the extent the topedge of the work sheet has passed up beyond the printing. point of thety'ewriter, which for a given sized sheet will determine the dis tancestill left between the printing point of the typewriter and the bottomedge of the sheet. The gage is set by trial for each'different sizedsheet.

In order to be out of the way when there is no desire to use it, thegage is connected to the platen frame, so that it may be shifted off toone side and swung down out of the way. Inasmuch as the gage occupies aprojectingposition when it is in use, it is made collapsible, so that itcan be folded down to enable the typewriter to be conveniently covis avertical section, taken from front to rear, of the top part of atypewriter or typewriting mechanlsm, showing in full and dotted linesthe active and inactive positions of the gage, and also showing the topedge of the work sheet in engagement with the stop of the gage,indicating that the desired limit of writing on the work sheet has beenreached. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view looking at the gage,as attached to the typewriter, from the rear. Fig. 3 is a fragmentaryview in elevation, partly in section, showing-the connection of the stoptothe standard of the gage. Figs. f and 5 are fragmentary verticalsections, showing the relative positions of the stop to the standard ofthe gage when the stop is locked to the standard, and when the stop isn11- locked from the standard. Fig. (3 is a detail section taken. on theline 6-43 of Fig. 1, showing the means for locking the standard in itsraised position.

Referring more particularly to the separate parts of this invention asembodied in the form shown in thedrawing, 1 indicates the typewriter ortypewritingmechanism which maybe of any desired structure, and may beprovided with a carriage having a platen frame 2 mounted thereon. Theplaten frame 2 supports the usual platen 3 on which the work sheetindicated at f is supported.

Type. bars, indicated at 5, actuated by the usual key mechanism, strikethe work sheet 4 at a point 6 which may be termed the printing point ofthe typewriter or typewriting mechanism. Inasmuch as it is oftendesirable to leave a bottom margin on the work sheet ofsome extent,which may be free from typewritten matter, it is necessary to know whenthe printing point has come to such a distance with respect to thebottom edge of the work sheet. The bottom edge of the work shect,however, is concealed, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 1, by lyingbetween the. platen 3 and the paper shelf 7 which guides the work sheetto the platen.

It is therefore evident in order to tell at a glance when the desiredlimit of writing has been reached, that some extraneous point plainlyvisible must be used as a means ofindication. For this purpose, insteadof measuring the distance between-the printing point 6 and the bottomedge of the work sheet, a differential measure is used. by gag-- ing thedistance which the top edge of the moved for the purpose of changing thecase of the characters being written, as for example in changing fromsmall letters to capitals. y

In the form used to illustrate the present embodiment of the invention,the platen frame 2 is shown to be provided with arms 9 which support arail 10 between them. Pivotally and slidingly mounted on this rail 10,there is provided a bracket 11 which in turn supports a standard 12.Slidingly mounted on the standard 12, so as to be ad justab'le relativethereto, there is provided astop 13, which indicates the limit ofprinting on the work sheet, when the top edge'of the work sheet comes inengagementtherewith.

As shown, the standard 12 is constructed from a strip of wire bentintermediate its ends to form an elongated loop, the reaches of whichextend substantially parallel to each other. These reaches are providedwith notches 14: on the front faces thereof, which form a part of alocking means for holding the stop 13 in its several positions ofadjust-.

. ment. The stop 13 is shown in this instance to be formed fro-m asingle sheet of metal having a plurality of openings 15 and 16 therein,whereby the standard-12 may extend through the stop. I

The metal of the stop is bent double on opposite sides of the opening15, so as to flank the standard 12 at the front and rear, as at 17 and18. The portion 17 which contains the opening 16, is bent at rightangles thereto, to admit of the passage of the standard 12 through theopening 16, and so that the extremity of this portion will form aprojection 19 extending substantially perpendicular to the standard 12,so as to form a stopping junction between the standard and itself, withwhich the top edge of the work sheet f will readily engage. The portion18 of the stop may be provided with oppositely extending arms 20, whichcan be curled around the reaches of the standard 12 to form anadditional means of guiding the movement of the stop on the standard. 1

It will be noted that the bending double of the material of the stopgives this portion of the stop the natureof a spring, which will causeone margin of the opening '16 indicated at 21 to tend to engage in thefront notches 14 on the standard 12, as indicated in Fig. 4:, but in ayielding manner, so that this margin of the opening 16 can be readilyforced out of the notches 14:, as indicated in Fig. 5, to enable thestop to be readily adjusted along the standard 12. There is thusembodied in the stop 13 a locking means-for securing the stop in anyadjusted position relative to the standard 12. The notches 14, it may besaid in passing, may be spaced at such 1ntervals from each other as tocorrespond to the distances between successive lines written on the worksheet a by the typewriting mechanism.

Inasmuch as the gage 8 occupies a projecting position when in use, it isdesirable that it may be moved to a non-projecting position when it isnecessary to cover the typewriter. For this purpose, the connection ofthe standard 12 to the bracket 11 is a hinged one, so that the standardcan be swung from the full line position shown in Fig. 1, to

spring pressed balls 23 located in sockets in the hub 22, and adapted toengage in looking dents or sockets 24 arranged on the fac= ing surfacesof the bracket 11. The standard 1.2 is held from falling over backwardby means of lugs 25 which project inwardly from opposite sides of thebracket 11 into the path of the reaches of the standard 12.

While the above takes care of the retirement of the gage when it isdesired to close the typewriter, there remains the necessity of movingthe gage out of the way when it is desired to use the typewriter withoutusing the gage. It has been said before, that the bracket 11 isslidingly and pivotally mounted on the rod 10; In order to lock thebracket and thus the gage in any adjusted position on tl'IQ IOd 10, thisrod. is provided with a longitudinal groove 26, into which is pressed bya spring 27 a locking roller 28, which is carried by the bracket 11 andis movable into and out of the groove 26. The bracket 11 is providedwith a lip 29 which is spaced apart from the remainder of the bracket,so as to form a groove therebetween into which the curled edge 30 of thepaper shelf 7 enters, thereby disposing portions of the bracket onopposite sides of this edge, holding the bracket and thus the gage in araised operative position. blow then, if it is desired to'shift the gageto an ineffective position, it may be slid off to one side, preferablythe left-hand side of the typewriter, until the lip 29 has passed frombehind the edge 30 of the shelf 7. The gage as a whole, can then beswung rearwardly and downwardly bv snapping the locking roller 28 out ofthe groove 26.

When in use, the gage 8 occupies the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2with the standard erect, and the bracket located sub stantially midwaybetween the ends of the rail 10. In order to determine the height atwhich the stop 13 shall be located, a trial is first made with a sheetof paper of the size to be used in the subsequent operations. This sheetis marked in any desired manner to indicate the last line of typewritingwhich it is desired to have on the typewritten sheet, that is to say, apencil mark may be drawn on the sheet at the distance from the bottomedge the last .line is to be located. This sheet is then run over theplaten until the mark made on the sheet comes to the printing point '6.The sheet of paper will have sufficient stiffness to project toward thegage tow a point where its top edge comes into contact with the standard12. The stop 13 can then be adjusted so that the extension 19 will comeinto contact with the top edge of this trial sheet. It will therefore beevident that when the top edge of any subsequently used sheet of thesame size is fed by the linespacing. operation of the platen to a pointsuch that its top edge engages the juncture between the standard and theex tension 19 of the stop 13, then the line being written on the worksheet, that is to say, the line at the printing point 6 will be at therequired distance from the bottom edge of the paper. In other words, thegage may be set to determine the number of lines to be written on thework sheet. This means of determining when the bottom of the sheet isapproaching, has the advantage of being readily visible and also doesnot interfere with the actual typewriting action.

In case it is desired to close up the machine for the night, and put onthe cover, it is merely necessary to forcibly move the standard 12 fromthe full line position shown in Fig. 1 to the dotted line position, whenthe gage will be no longer in an inco.n venient projecting position, butwill be folded on top of the carriage. If it is desired to throw thegage entirely out of the way when not in use, it may be shifted sidewisealong the rod or rail 10 until the lip 29 passes beyond the edge 30 onthe paper shelf 7 when the gage as a whole can be swung rearwardly anddownwardly about the rail 10 as a pivot.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the inventions, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

ard formed from a strip of wire bent intermediate its ends to formanelongated loop,,

said wire being provided with a graduated series of notches, and a stopadjustably mounted on said loop, said stop being formed of spring metaland adapted to grip said standard at said notches to hold itself in itsvarious positions of adjustment along said standard.

2. A paper depth gage comprisingastandard having a series of notchesformed therein at intervals, and a stop arranged circumjacent saidstandard and adjustable lengthwise thereof, said stop being formed of astrip of sheet metal having a plurality of spaced openings through whichsaid standard passes, and being bent on itself, so that portions of saidsheet metal on opposite sides of said openings will extend on oppositesides of said standard, the margin of one of said openings beingarranged to engage said notches rto lock said step in several positionsof adjustment.

v,3. A paper depth gage comprisingastandard formed of a strip of wirebent intermediate its ends to form an elongated loop, the reaches of theloop extending parallel to each other, and a stop, having arms curledabout said reaches, adjustable along said standard.-

4. A paper depth gage comprisingastand' ard formed of a strip of wirebent intermediate its ends to form an elongated loop, the reaches of theloop extending parallel to each other, and a stop, having arms curledabout said reaches, adjustable along said standard, said stop havingmeans for lock mg ltSCllf in its various positlons of ad ustment alongsaid standard.

5. The combination with a typewriter, of

a paper depth gage connected to said typewriter normally extending in aprojecting position when in use, said gage being constructed to swingtemporarily to a non-projecting position; means beingprovided to retainsaid gage in a semi-permanent inoperative position.

6. A paper depth gage comprising a stand ard formed from a strip of wirebent intermediate i-ts ends to form an elongated loop and formed with agraduated series of notches, and a stop adjustably mounted on said loopand held by said notches in definite positions of adjustment.

7. The combination in a typewriter, of a platen frame, a rail on saidframe, and a paper depth gage adjustable along said rail to and from aposition at the end of the frame, and pivotally mounted on said rail toswing forwardly and rearwardly between operative and inoperativepositions.

8. The combination in a typewriter, of a platen frame, a rail on saidframe, and a paper depth gage adjustable along said rail and pivotallymounted on said rail to swing forwardly and rearwardly between operativeand inoperative positions, said gage having means for holding it in anoperative position. I

9. The combination with a typewriter, of a rail connected to saidtypewriter, a paper depth gage pivotally mounted for forward andrearward swinging movement on said rail and adjustable longitudinallythereof, means for -yieldingly holding said ga ge against accidentallongitudinal movement along said rail, and means for locking said gageagainst pivotal movement on said rail.

10. The combination of a typewriter having a paper shelf with a curlthereon, a paper depth gage, and a support for the gage, said gageengaging said curl to hold itself in an operative position relative tosaid typewriter and movable along its support to a position free of saidcurl.

11. The. combination of a typewriting machine and a gage comprising astandard, an adjustable stop on the standard, anda support on which thestandard is pivotally mounted, said support being pivotally connected tothe typewriting machine to swing into and out of operative position.

12. The combination of a typewriting machine comprising a platen frameand a horizontal rod carried thereby; and a gage comprising a supportingmember pivotally and slidably mounted on said rod, a standard pivoted tosaid member, and a stop adjustable on the standard.

13, The combination of a typewriting machine comprising a platen frameand a hori zontal rod carried thereby; and a gage comprising a bracketpivotally mounted on the rod and slidable longitudinally thereon,

means to yieldingly hold the bracket against ivotal movement, a.standard pivoted to said bracket for swinging movement about an axisparallel to said rod, and an adjustable stop on said standard.

1 f. The combination of a typewriting machine having a platen framecomprising a paper shelf, a rod parallel with the edge of oeaeaa saidshelf, a bracket pivoted on said rod and having an interlocking slidableengagement with the edge of the paper shelf, a standard supported onsaid bracket, and a stop on the standard.

15. The combination of a typewr'iting machine comprising a platen frame,a bracket pivoted on said frame and adapted to be swung downward fromoperative position, a standard pivoted to the bracket and movable intoand out of operative position independently of the position of thebracket, and an adjustable stop on said standard.

16. The combination of a typewriting machine having a platen framecomprising a paper shelf having a curled edge, a rod, a bracket slidableon the rod and formed with a groove or recess to receive the edge of thepaper shelf, said bracket being slidable to a position beyond the papershelf and adapted when in such position to be swung on said rod to aninoperative position, a standard carried by the bracket, and anadjustable paper stop on the standard.

17. The combination of a typewritingmachine having a platen framecomprising a paper shelf having a curled edge, a rod, a bracket slidableon the rod and formed wlth a groove or recess to receive the edge of thepaper shelf, said bracket being slidable to a position beyond the papershelf and adapted when in such position to be swung on said rod to aninoperative position, a standard connected to said bracket by a pivotparallel with said rod, and an adjustable paper stop on the standard.

18. The combination of a typewriting machine comprising a platen frameand a platen, a rod parallel with the platen; and a gage comprising asupporting member pivotally and slidably mounted onsaid rod, a guidefor. said member to prevent pivotal movement thereof during its slidingmovement, a standard pivoted to said member, and a stop adjustable onsaid standardQ JQHN o. nenanenrlrn.

Witnesses:

JULI A LEVY, C. NEWELL.

